This invention relates generally to brassieres and, more particularly, to brassieres suitable for use by female patients following cardio-thoracic surgery.
Cardio-thoracic surgical procedures typically include an incision extending from the suprasternal notch to the zyphoid process. Following surgery, the incision is typically closed by means of external staples or subcutaneous silk sutures. In the case of female patients, considerable stress can be placed on the incisional line by reason of the weight of the breasts. As such stress can be greatest when the female patient is reclining, post-operative orders frequently call for female cardio-thoracic surgery patients to wear a brassiere twenty-four hours a day. Typically, such patients have provided and worn their own, conventional brassieres in complying with such post-operative orders.
For a number of reasons, conventional brassieres are not entirely appropriate for use by bedridden, semi-ambulatory female patients following cardio-thoracic surgery. In particular, conventional brassieres do not provide adequate ventilation of the incisional wound nor do such brassieres allow access to the incision for routine examination or nursing care except through removal of the brassiere. Furthermore, such conventional brassieres typically lack adequate back support to provide meaningful assistance to the patient during coughing and deep breathing or while moving into and out of bed. Finally, as conventional brassieres can be particularly uncomfortable following cardio-thoracic surgery, patients sometimes fail to comply with the requirement that a brassiere be worn twenty-four hours a day following surgery.
Because of their various inadequacies, conventional brassieres can give rise to a variety of undesirable complications when utilized during post-operative care. For example, inadequate ventilation can interfere with cooling and drying and can, thus, give rise to infection of the incisional line. Similarly, poor or inadequate support can interfere with rapid healing and recovery as can the tendency of conventional brassieres to interfere with coughing or deep breathing. Finally, non-compliance with post-operative orders, stemming from discomfort associated with the use of conventional brassieres, can further interfere with rapid and effective healing and can, thus, significantly lengthen the post-operative recovery.
In view of the foregoing, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a new and improved brassiere.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved brassiere which is particularly well adapted for use by female patients following cardio-thoracic surgery.
It is a still more specific object of the present invention to provide a new and improved brassiere which provides ventilation of a mid-sternal incisional line as well as access to the incisional line for purposes of routine examination or nursing care.
It is a still more specific object of the present invention to provide a new and improved brassiere which provides adequate and effective support during post-operative care and which maximizes patient compliance with post-operative orders by minimizing patient discomfort during use.